| Topic: |
Politics > Politics-USA |
| User: |
"Harry Hope" |
| Date: |
28 May 2004 10:11:03 AM |
| Object: |
Waiting for a contrite, I-was-an-idiot confession from Joe Scarborough |
http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/Entertainment/Headlines/03SceneMOV03052804.htm
Penn mightier than pundit's verbal sword
By RICK de Yampert
VOX POP
I'm waiting for a contrite, I-was-an-idiot confession from Joe
Scarborough, the conservative blowhard, former Republican congressman
and current host of the show "Scarborough Country" on the MSNBC cable
network.
Of course, for Scarborough to admit actors Sean Penn, Susan Sarandon
and Tim Robbins expressed legitimate reservations about our nation's
Iraq policy is as likely as Satan abandoning hell to sell air
conditioners in Cleveland.
Or as likely as Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr peddling George
Washington posters in Najaf.
In April 2003, I was channel-surfing in the days just after the Saddam
Hussein statue was toppled in Baghdad and President Bush had declared
"Iraq is liberated."
I spied a brief clip of Penn protesting the war during the previous
weeks.
The TV screen cut to a gloating Scarborough and his crony Michael
Savage in a studio.
With grins wider than mangoes, the two talking heads drooled sarcasm
as they mocked Penn.
The scene was repeated with clips of Sarandon, Robbins and other
Hollywood actors expressing grave concern about the war, followed by
the gleeful put-downs of Scarborough and Savage.
Sounding like grade-schoolers giving the raspberry to the uncool kids,
the twosome's point was evident:
America's quick victory had proved these big-mouthed Hollywood
celebrities to be idiots.
As Jim Rutenberg reported in The New York Times, Scarborough sneered:
"These leftist stooges for anti-American causes are always given a
free pass. Isn't it time to make them stand up and be counted for
their views?"
Now it's time for Scarborough to be called to account for his views.
My point isn't that Scarborough should be slobbered with a big, fat "I
told you so" by Penn, Michael Moore or other entertainers who
cautioned this war would be horrific folly.
My point is that Scarborough, and many other conservative pundits,
readily dismissed any celebrities who protested the war as
chuckle-heads unqualified to voice such views.
As if making movies or playing an electric guitar prevents someone
from reading, learning and thinking about heavy issues.
As if TV talking heads (or newspaper columnists) are privy to
double-secret briefings and possess some third-eye insight gene.
A sharp irony is at play in the case of Penn.
He walked the walk as well as talked the talk -- he visited Baghdad in
December 2002 (before the start of the war) "to find my own voice on
matters of conscience," to "accept some level of personal
accountability for the policies of my government, both those I support
and any that I may not."
Of course Scarborough's TV show, much like Bill O'Reilly's TV program
and Rush Limbaugh's radio show, isn't about debate of the issues.
They're designed to be entertainment of the Punch and Judy variety,
with verbal bricks and bats bashing the liberal opposition.
They masquerade as reasoned commentary.
And so, some of our so-called "political commentators" seek to
entertain the masses by delivering juvenile raspberries to their
opposition.
Some of our entertainers sincerely seek to address grave political
issues.
Give me Sean Penn over Joe Scarborough any day.
_______________________________________________________
Harry
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